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Formation of an independent Italy
Italy would gain its independence in 1861 under one king, Victor Emmanuel II, after many years of fighting. The government was quickly sent into disarray due to the diverse groups that were located within the state, causing a heated and unorganized political climate that would connect to their own nationalities and not one of Italy. I picked this painting as it represents the amount of chaos Italy went through during the battles for independence and how it left the state in disorder. -
Papal States taken over by new nation of Italy
Over the course of the second Italian war for independence, Italy invaded the Papal States, conquering them, adding them to their state. This addition caused an increase in violence as there was Catholic hostility against the new state as the church held a large amount of power. I chose this picture as it represents the border changes the new addition brought, highlighting the future political tensions/problems that would arise. -
Failure of First Italo-Ethiopian War with the Battle of Adowa (Adwa)
When Italy signed a treaty with Abyssinia, it attempted to occupy the Abyssinian provinces of Eritrea and Tigre. This caused massive fights as Italy eventually lost at the Battle of Adowa. This battle humiliated them causing the future the annexation of Ethiopia to Italian East Africa as they would attack back again. I picked this painting as it shows the large amounts of chaos that was faced in battle, representing the two fighting sides. -
Italy invades and takes over Libya
Italy would invade Libya in order to try to gain more land as well as stop French expansion in North Africa. Italy would be harsh in its attacks from their past humiliation at Adowa, causing the future Italo-Turkish War. I picked this photo because it shows the harsh actions Italy was taking in order to gain control, not stopping even when Turkey saw that they were going to be defeated. -
Mussolini begins work as editor for the Socialist Party newspaper Avanti
Mussolini would become an editor for a popular Socialist Party newspaper in Italy titled Avanti. This allowed him to gain a platform to discuss his views. Specifically, it allowed him to bring light to his ideas of using violence to bring change and revolution, it caused people to start opening up to the idea and support him. I picked this picture because it shows how Mussolini was a prominent figure in the newspaper, as he was featured in headlines, helping him to grow in popularity. -
Mussolini kicked out of Socialist Party for pro-nationalistic sentiments regarding WWI
Mussolini would be kicked out of the Socialist Party due to his opposing political beliefs, the main one being calling for military intervention in WWI instead of neutrality, creating the Il Popolo d’Italia to promote the war, leading for his removal. This caused him to make his own newspaper to express his own views, causing Mussolini to get a reputation in Italy. I chose this image because it shows Mussolini's change from Avanti to his own newspaper, telling how he shifted to new beliefs. -
Treaty of London
The treaty was made in secrecy by the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and Italy in order to try to get them to go into WWI on the side of the Triple Entente. Specifically, the treaty was aiming to get Italy to join to help defeat the Central Powers. It caused fascists to further demand Italy go into the war, causing an eventual revolution. I picked this drawing in order to show how weak Italy was compared to other armies, being the smallest person in the art, and reaching out to bigger nations. -
Beginning of Biennio Rosso
It was a two-year period following WWI in Italy where, due to high unemployment, inflation, and political tensions, peasants would go on massive strikes, demanding a stable economy. These strikes would eventually cause the March on Rome as squadrista violence would grow in order to keep people from protesting. I chose this photograph as it shows how large the strikes were, showing the persistence of the peasants as well as their messages. -
Fascio di Combattimento formed in Milan
The Fascio di Combattimento was formed by Mussolini. It was an extreme right organization that wanted the attention of WWI veterans. The organization was known for their violence towards its opponents who were competing in the 1919 Italian election. The party eventually came to power in 1921 due to the support of the blackshirts and other extreme nationalists.
The chosen picture depicts the Italian soldiers from WWI. This is significant since they were the targeted audience for this party. -
D'Annunzio takes Fiume
Fiume was an area that was promised to Yugoslavia through the Treaty of London. Despite this, Gabriele D’Annunzio had occupied Fiume with the intent of regaining the Italian people who now lived there. This did not sit well with the Italian Government so they kicked D’Annunzio out through the Treaty of Rapallo.
The chosen photo symbolizes the nationalism that prompted D'Annunzio to take Fiume. D'Annunzio is portrayed to be high and mighty on a horse while the common people carry Italian flags. -
Mussolini forms alliance with Giolitti
Mussolini and Giolitti had become alliances after forming the National Bloc together in 1921. This was a coalition that was made up of several right-wing political parties created just in time for the 1921 elections in Italy.
This picture is the symbol of the National Bloc. This is representative of the alliance between Mussolini and Giolitti since they were able to create this coalition together. -
Mussolini forms the PNF (Fascist Party) and id elected its leader
Mussolini had created the PNF to expand Italian Nationalism as well as Italian territory. This set of ideas is most commonly associated with that of the Romanita movement. Overall, the PNF wanted to make Italy a modern day version of the Holy Roman Empire.
The chosen photo is specifically an example of propaganda. This is significant in representing the PNF since they are depicted as someone who has the soldiers' backs and assures them that they are doing the right thing by conquering land. -
March on Rome and Mussolini becomes Prime Minister
Mussolini and the PNF had organized the March on Rome which resulted in the Fascists taking over Italy. The day after the PNF had held the March on Rome, the King had appointed Benito Mussolini to be the Prime Minister in hopes of getting him to back down.
This is a significant photo to represent the March on Rome since it displays Mussolini marching side by side with other fascists. This is an example of how extreme nationalism was able to bring people together at the time. -
Acerbo Law passed
The Acerbo Law was created by Baron Giacomo Acerbo which would guarantee Mussolini and the PNF a majority of deputies in government. The law proposed that if a party received over 25% of the majority vote, they now had 66% of seats in Parliament. Although the law technically passed in 1923, it was used in the 1924 election.
The picture chosen to represent this law is of the seats in parliament after the 1924 election. This shows that the law had succeeded in making the PNF the majority. -
Corfu Incident
The Corfu incident had been provoked by the murder of an Italian general who tried to resolve the tension between Greece and Albania. Mussolini had issued an ultimatum that Greece had declined which prompted the Italians to take over Corfu.
This picture displays the Italians arriving at Corfu to overtake the area as a result of Greece disagreeing to the ultimatum. -
Aventine Secession
About 150 non-right members from the Italian Chamber of Deputies left to protest Fascist Benito Mussolini’s involvement in the murder of Socialist opponent Giacomo Matteotti. This image shows members of the Italian Chamber of Deputies travelling to identify the boy of Giacomo Matteotti. This image was chosen because it shows the unity of the chamber after Matteotti's death. -
Matteoti Crisis
The Matteotti Crisis was the conflict between liberals and fascists after the death of Giacomo Matteotti. Mussolini had Matteotti kidnapped and murdered in return for speaking out against fascism in front of the Chamber of Deputies in Italy.
The chosen photograph depicts Matteoti's funeral. This picture sums up the Matteoti Crisis since his death is what brought attention to the situation. -
Battle for Grain
An agricultural campaign started by Mussolini to increase wheat production in Italy. It was successful but caused a decrease in the production of other crops. This is an image of Mussolini harvesting grain. This image was chosen because it shows how Mussolini's propaganda of him working for the Italian people had a positive impact on his campaigns. -
Locarno Treaty signed
A series of treaties discussed in Locarno, Switzerland by France, Great Britain, Germany, Belgium, and Italy and then signed in London on the 1st of December. These treaties sought to establish peace in Western Europe. This is a political cartoon conveying the intended course of those signing Locarno, This cartoon was chosen because it shows how the signers thought the Locarno treaties would progress peace. -
Battle for the Lira
An economic campaign started by Mussolini to increase the value of Italian currency (the lira). This benefited the economy, but also resulted in wage cuts which led to a lower standard of living for many Italian people. This is a newspaper clipping from Mussolini's quota 90 speech. This image was chosen because it is a primary source from Mussolini's original proposal for the Battle for the Lira. -
Battle for Births
A campaign started by Mussolini to increase birth rates in Italy. Contraception was banned, there were tax breaks for couples with many children, and women were taught the importance of motherhood. This campaign was considered a failure. This is an image of the medal given to Italian mothers during WWII. Even though this object is from after the start of Battle for Births, it was chosen because it shows Mussolini's commitment to incentivizing the increase of Italian birth rates. -
Battle for Land
A campaign started by Mussolini to clear marshland and create more land that was suitable for farming. This campaign was considered successful. This is an image of Italian farmers standing in a field of grain and saluting to Mussolini. This image was selected because it shows how Mussolini's goal of increasing farmable land helped Italian farmers. -
Kellogg-Briand Treaty signed
An agreement signed by Australia, Belgium, Canada, Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Poland, South Africa, the U.K, and the U.S. in a promise to solve conflicts without going to war. This is an image of the country representatives signing the agreement. This image was chosen because it shows the vast number of people involved in this agreement. -
Lateran Treaty with Pope
An agreement made between Italy and the Vatican to recognize each other as independent states. Italy had Catholic support and the Vatican had Italian support. This is a painting of the cardinal and Mussolini signing the treaty. This image was chosen because it shows how formal and revered the signing was. -
Abyssinian Crisis
The Abyssinia Crisis began in 1935 with the so-called Walwal incident, which occurred during the continuous battle between the Kingdom of Italy and the Ethiopian Empire. -
Stresa Front
An agreement made in Italy between France, Britain, and Italy to confirm the Locarno treaties and to stop the German attempts to change the Treaty of Versailles. This is a political cartoon of the representatives signing the agreement in barrel. This cartoon was chosen because it shows how the agreement was doomed from the start. -
Italian Involvement with Spanish Civil War
During the Spanish Civil War, the Italian military intervened in Spain to help the nationalist cause against the Second Spanish Republic. -
Rome-Berlin Axis Treaty Signed
The Rome-Berlin Axis was an Italian-German alliance created in 1936. On October 25, 1936, Italy's foreign minister, Galeazzo Ciano, drafted an agreement that legally linked the two fascist governments. -
Munich Conference
Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy negotiated an agreement that allowed Germany to seize the Sudetenland in western Czechoslovakia. -
Italy Invades Albania
The Kingdom of Italy waged a short military campaign against the Kingdom of Albania. Albania was quickly invaded, its monarch King Zog I exiled to neighboring Greece, and the kingdom was established as a protectorate in personal union with the Italian Crown by the Italian Empire. -
Italy Enters WWII on Side of Germany
As the French Third Republic surrendered, Italy entered the war as an Axis Power, with the intention of concentrating Italian forces on a major offensive against the British Empire in Africa and the Middle East, known as the "parallel war," while expecting British forces in the European theater to collapse. -
Mussolini Brought Down by Coup During WWII
After leaving a meeting with King Vittorio Emanuele, who informs Il Duce that the war is lost, Benito Mussolini, the fascist dictator of Italy, is voted out of office by his own Grand Council and jailed. -
Mussolini Killed
He was executed by an Italian partisan in the little town of Giulino di Mezzegra in northern Italy during the last days of World War II in Europe.
